Can I get an AMEN for busy schedules, busy kids, busy families, and busy calendars? Advent can ramp it up beyond their control. Let’s be intentional to lessen the calendar burden. Let’s be intentional to lessen the stress of what DOES make the calendar. Let’s be intentional to make some time to actually PLAY. These are a few of my intentional Advent plans:

1. I’m not over-scheduling our families and continuing our focus on Sundays with a Cereal Bar on a Sunday morning, A Hot Chocolate Bar on a Sunday morning, and PopTarts & Pajamas with a Blessing of the Toys for the Sunday following Christmas.

2. I’m going to play with my kids by going Christmas Caroling thanks to someone else taking the point on the big planning.

3. I’m taking the Luke In December challenge. Reading one chapter each day from the Gospel of Luke beginning December 1st through the 24th. There are 24 chapters in the Gospel of Luke which is consideredthe most comprehensive of the Gospels. By Christmas Eve, we can read the when, the who, the how, and the why our sweet Jesus came.

4. Recruiting new team members each Sunday by inviting them to shadow experienced team members. Our numbers are always up during Advent (all the sports and championships are over for the season) which gives us the additional coverage necessary as well as time to train alongside great team members with a critical mass of little people.

5. Soup recipe exchange in our Advent Bible study. This is the time of year when a soup & bread dinner is the perfect ending to a great day.

6. A Pop-up Advent calendar was sent home with our families. I happened to bring one on my visit to my brother’s in Florida. My nine-year-old niece is now daily sending a picture of what she finds in the flap so that I can give her more information about each part of the story through Facebook messenger.

7. A Messy Family Christmas will be our Advent celebration with a plan to replicate a similar event for each of the four 5th Sundays in 2019 during the Sunday school time.

8. Plan to see Mary Poppins at the movies.

9. Collaborations begin for Summer 2019 Faith Field Trips.

What are your intentional Advent plans?

“And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” 1 John 2:28